Weighing scale



Sept. 26, 1944. R. Q. PARKS WEIGHING SCALE Original Filed Dec. 16, 1940 ROBERT :n

Patented Sept. 26, 1944 WEIGHING SCALE Robert Quinn Parks, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio State University Research Foundation, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application December 16, 1940, Serial No. 370,334. Divided and this application May 7, 1941, Serial N0. 392,315

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to apparatus for obtaining moisture determinations in small grains, corn, hay, silage, and forage materials, such as legumes, grasses, and legume-grass mixtures, and more especially to an improved weighing scale for use in these determinations.

The primary object of the invention-is to provide inexpensive apparatus for the rapid determination of moisture in small grains, corn, hay and sllage materials and particularly t provide such an apparatus which an average farmer can readily operate and obtain at least a fairly close approximation of the amount of moisture in his staple materials. The present invention is directed more especially to an improved form of scale balance for carrying out this primary object. Heretofore when weighing samples of materials and using the calcium carbide method, it has been customary to employ only the ordinary forms of scale balances and to consult charts or graphs, furnished by the manufacturer of the scale balance, to translate the weight determinations of the sample or the reagent and the loss in weight after the reaction into moisture percentages. This is a very impractical scheme, particularly when the apparatus is being employed by farmers, as obviously it necessitates that the farmer have at hand all of the necessary charts,

graphs, etc.

A more particular object is to provide an improved form of scale balance in which the moisture percentages may be read directly from the balance so that no accompanying charts or graphs, calculations, etc. are necessary and the farmer can see at a glance, from the reading on the scale, the exact percentage of moisture in the silage sample being tested.

Another object is to provide 'an improved form of scale balance which has its greatest sensitivity over the weight range which indicates the loss in weight of the sample after being treated by the chemical reagent. It will be understood that this loss in weight brought about by the chemical reaction s quite small compared with the weght vof the sample, and even smaller than the combined weights oi the sample and the chemical agent. The loss in weight must, therefore. be measured very accurately and for that reason it is desirable that the scale balance shall have its greatest sensitivity over the weight range in which the loss of weight is indicated by the balance.

The above objects are carried out, in brief, by providing a scale on the balance which has marks thereon to indicate the proper weights of the re-v agent and sample, and the distance between these two marks is calibrated directly into moisture percentages. The arrangement of the arms of the balance is such that when the balance is indicating loss of weight the arm carrying the scale pan assumes a substantially horizontal position in order to provide the maximum lever eiiect at this time, and thus to give optimum sensitivity.

The invention will be better understood when reference is made to the following description and the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

Figures 1 to 4 represent by diagram, four steps in the use of a specially designed scale for weighing the chemicalY reaction constituents accurately.

Figure 5 is a view of the index and the scale pointer of a weighing device employed in making the moisture determinations.

The determination is based on the relationship between the original moisture content of plant tissue and loss in weight when the sample is mixed with an excess of calcium carbide. The calcium carbide reacts with water according to the following equation:

C: ZHiO CMOH): CzHa 30,400 cai.

Calcium Water Calcium Acetylene carbide hydroxide (gas) in which 36 grams of water react to give 26 grams of acetylene gas and 30,400 calories of heat. The water taking part in this reaction may be in liquid or vapor form, or in a mixture with other chemicals, such as water in plant sap.

When an excess of calcium carbide is added to a given weight of plant material and mixed, a loss of weight occurs which can be used as an index of the percentage moisture of the original sample.

A satisfactory method of 'carrying out this earbide reaction is found to be in a seamless tin container a, -33/4 inches in diameter and 2/2 inches deep. Nine holes (V2 inch in diameter) are drilled in the top b; and a coarse iilter paper is glued inside the lid. The purpose of the filter paper is to prevent loss of powdered carbide due to convection currents, and at the same time allow ready escape of the acetylene gas formed. An excess of CaCz is placed in the lid and 30 grams of plant material weighed into the bottom half of the container. After obtaining the total weight `(the lid with the carbide plus the container and its contents), the carbide is poured from the lid into the container. After placing the lid firmly in place, the container is alternately shaken and weighed until further loss in weight has ceased.

Although this method may be used with any size of plant sample, and on any suitable scale or balance set, it is deemed necessary, if the method is to be of greatest practical value, to provide a balance winch will read directly in percentage moisture, will be sulciently sensitive, and yet will be durable enough for iield and farm use. Figures l to show in operation a scale balance which is the outgrowth of this phase of the development.

The essential features of this balance are two arms i, 2 (one for the pan and container, the other a counterpoise) which both point upward,l and meet at an angle of approximately 150; and a third arm 3, or ballast, which controls the extent of swing, Without ail'ecting the sensitivity through the range being considered. The arms pivot on a knife edge indicated at li, made from a tool steel bolt. The arm structure i, 2 and 3 may be arrested by stops at both ends of the scale to prevent excess swing and to hold the balance at rest while the container and part of the carbide are being added. Deilection begins when all but about grams of the carbide has been added.

In. order to determine the magnitude of pos sible variations resulting from the use of the method and the balance, and to determine the personal error involved, several individuals were asked to make duplicate analysisof plant samples of varying moisture contents. The results of these determinations are contained in the following table.

Extent of variations in results, including personal An examination of the scale illustrated in enlarged form in Figure 5 will show that the sample line is positioned at the left hand end of the scale and the reagent line at the other end of the scale, and the space between these two lines is calibrated in terms of percentage of moisture.- In

. performing the moisture determinations it is only necessary for the farmer to pour enough moisture reagent, Isuch as calcium carbide, into the top b (Figure 2) as will cause the scale to be moved downwardly until the reagent line is directly under the pointer 5. The sample is then added to the empty container a until the sample line comes directly under the pointer, as is indicated in Figure 3. The moisture reagent is then added to the sample in thevcontainer a and the latter is shaken for a while to insure a thorough mix of these materials. After the resulting gas and/or heat is driven oli the container a, together with the top, is again weighed as indicated in Figure 4, and the moisture content o1' the sample will be indicated directly under the pointer 5. There is no necessity forconsulting charts, tables or graphs because all of the calculations have been translated into determinations which are marked on the index scale, so that the farmer can read these moisture percentages diactas?? has added the proper amounts of reagent and sample according to the reagent and sample marks on the scale, the moisture percentages shown by the scale will be reasonably accurate.

1t will be further noted, in comparing the successive positions of the scale pan arm i shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, that the arm continues to approach a position, i. e. the horizontal .position at which the greatest sensitivity in determining weight is obtained. It is apparent that when the arm i isexactly horizontal the scale pan and the Weights added thereto are positioned at the greatest distance from the central uprights of the scale and therefore exert their greatest eiect at the index. This arrangement of the arms is particularly useful in measuring relatively small differences oi weight, as when for example, the weight of the combined moisture reagent and sample is measured before reaction, as shown in Figure 3, and the combined weight of these materials is again measured after the chemical reaction, as shown in. Figure 4. The measurement of the loss of weight occurs when the arm'i is in a substantially horizontal position so that the scale balance provides its greatest sensitivity of measurement at this point in the moisture determinations. It is, of course, not absolutely necessary that the various arms of the scale balance shall have the arrangement and position shown in these gures, but the point is made that when the arm i assumes a horizontal position at the time that the loss in weight is being indicated, such a scale oiers greater accuracy of measurement than a scale in which the arm i is not in the horizontal position at this time.

It will be further noted that the arcuate scale issymmetrically disposed with respect to its arm s, and that the scale is disconnected from either of the arms i, 2. Furthermore, the scale is formed as an arc, .the center of which is positioned at the knife edge d. A scale of this shape and character cuers the advantage of providing a uniform swinging retarding effect, regardless of the position of the arm 3. Consequently, the swing retardation provided by the index introduces very little error, if any, into the weight determinations since its eiiect is practically the same each time the weight is being measured.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 370,334, nled December 16, 1940.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is:

A scale balance for indicating the amount of moisture in a substance placed withina container comprising an upright support, a pair of arms which meet at an angle less than 180, one of said arms being provided with a pan for receiving the container and a moisture reagent, and the other arm constituting a counterpoise, said balance also including a third arm which serves as a ballast for controlling the extent of the swing, said arms being rigidly connected together and pivoted to said upright support at a Iposition where the rst two mentioned arms meet, a

rectly from the scale. Assuming that the farmer pointer xed to said upright support and extending in a substantially vertical plane, an arcuate member fixedfto said third arm having calibrations adjacent one end thereof for cooperating with said pointer for indicating the amount of moisture reagent to be placed upon said pan,

calibrations adjacent the other end of said arcuate member for cooperating with said pointer for indicating the amount of substance to be placed in the container positioned on said pan, and additional calibrations on said arcuate member for cooperating with said pointer for indicating the amount of moisture in said substance when said substance and said moisture reagent are mixed in the container, said third arm and said arcuate member xed thereto being xed to said rst 'pair of arms adjacent to said pivot in a manner 

